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Closer Lives Travel and Lifestyle Blog: Your Guide to Adventure and Cultural Discovery

Tora Restaurant: A Review of One of Cancun's Best Japanese Restaurants

Writer's picture: Jenn & LeonJenn & Leon

Updated: 3 days ago

This unique restaurant was the winner of the 2020 Diner's Choice award granted by Open Table and we can totally see why! An absolutely epic night out on the water with magnificent food, first class service, brilliant entertainment and an amazing vibe.


Sunset over water with two people on dock. Plate of Japanese cuisine and glass of wine on table. Text: "TORA, 5 star dining, Cancun."

During our time in Cancun Jenn was looking for a nice place to eat on the water with a sunset view... this is how she happened upon Tora, a Japanese Restaurant (one of her favorites). However, we found it a little challenging to find the details we were looking for, so we hope that we can touch on some of the questions you may have when considering a visit.





Read on for the incredible food we tried, the superb entertainment, how to find Tora Cancun, our YouTube video highlights and our restaurant rating!


Table with wine glasses, a snack dish, and a sunset view over the ocean. Warm colors and a relaxing, serene atmosphere.






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Our Tora Restaurant Highlights


We took an Uber from central Cancun to get to Tora which cost a very reasonable 400 pesos. Tora is situated in the hotel zone and is on the water of the Nichupté Lagoon with absolutely breathtaking views! It was super appealing from the outside and we knew from the moment we stepped out of the cab that we were in for a real treat.





We were greeted at the entrance and taken towards the reception desk where there are mandatory temperature checks; this was fine although for the first and only time since the pandemic it was conducted with a full facial scanner!


A man holds a door open for a woman entering a wooden-paneled building with "TORA" sign. Plants and stone walls are visible. Casual mood.
Meet and greet at the entrance to Tora, the beginning of an epic night

We found this technology interesting as we had never seen anything like this before. We were then escorted to our sunset view table which could not have been more perfect!



We each started with a signature Tora Infusion Ball (640 pesos for two) and my oh my it was good! There are 3 flavors to choose from and we highly recommend them. We spent the next 20 minutes or so soaking up the magnificent sunset, water and Tora dock, with uninterrupted views accompanying the warm breeze and soothing background music in the restaurant. It literally could not have been more serene.


Sushi platter and wine glasses on a table by the sea at sunset. Palm trees, people in the background; a serene, tropical setting.
The excellent Sashimi Platter, exclusively at Tora, in the warm backdrop of a stunning sunset. Paradise!

For our starter we went for the Sashimi Platter which included Bluefin tuna, Ora King salmon Hamachi and Alaskan King crab. Little did we know that the presentation of this would be so impressive! It was absolutely delicious although it was so hard to take the first bite... we could have stared at it all night!





The staff were highly attentive from the off and were on hand at any moment to tend to our needs or questions. The shift manager even came over to say hello and take a few photos!!


Grilled shrimp and fish on ceramic plates with sauce dots, garnished with herbs. A bottle of wine and glass nearby on a wooden table. Cozy ambiance.
Absolutely delicious grilled seabass & tiger shrimp, the finest Japanese cuisine at Tora Cancun

For our main we ordered the grilled seabass ( 750 pesos) and tiger shrimp (800 pesos) accompanied with brandy (410 pesos each) and wine (1 bottle 820 pesos). We also had one of Tora's famous hot rice pots (500 pesos) which are a traditional Japanese rice casserole. This was magnificent and was served directly by the chef right at our table!






 
 


The Food at Tora Restaurant


The food was absolutely scrumptious in keeping with the first class treatment we received throughout this memorable night. Keep in mind we wanted to try and sample some of the pricier options but the menu is expansive and can accommodate a variety of price points.



The entertainment started with a fantastic drum bongo and dancing show on the dock against the backdrop of the night sky. It was super fun and was accompanied by the staff handing out fountain sparklers to all of the diners! Who doesn't love a good sparkler! It certainly set the mood and continued right until closing time, along with the staff encouraging table and chair dancing and joining in with the fun.





We also had an excellent hookah with a delightful blueberry shisha (1300 pesos), alongside some fiery tequila (250 pesos each). The singing and dancing continued in the build up to the grand crescendo... fireworks on the water! It could not have been more spectacular and is truly an unforgettable restaurant.





Not to mention the bathroom facilities were excellent too with waited service / champagne, towels, face cloths, perfume and a beautiful setting. We honestly cannot praise Tora highly enough!






 
 


Tora Restaurant on YouTube


Now for the video! Enjoy the highlight reel, and if you enjoy our video and want to follow more of our adventures please do like and subscribe! Your support truly is invaluable to us and we will always strive to produce the best content we can from around the world!






 
 


How to Get to Tora Japanese Restaurant Cancun


Tora is located at km 15 of the Hotel Zone, very close to the best hotels in Cancun, such as Paradisus Cancun, JW Marriott Cancun, The Ritz Carlton Cancun, Fiesta Americana Condesa, Hard Rock Hotel Cancun, The Royal Caribbean, The Royal Islander, Secrets The Vine, The Westin Lagunamar among others.


There is plenty of parking available and you can also take a taxi here. There is an exclusive dock too, just in case you wanted to come by boat!


⪢ Contact Information for Tora Restaurant


Address: Blvd. Kukulcan km 15, Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico


Contact: +52 998 313 4128



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Use our interactive map to easily locate the top hotels nearby, sourced from a variety of reputable platforms such as Booking, Vrbo, Expedia, Get Your Guide, and Hotels.com.





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Our Tora Restaurant Cancun Experience Ratings


Couple kissing in a lively outdoor setting with string lights, palm decor, and ocean view at dusk. Woman in striped dress, man in blue shirt.

If you are celebrating anything special, or even just looking for an amazing date night out, then this is the place to do it in Cancun Mexico. But please don't forget to make a reservation however you can take the chance of just walking in.


Also keep in mind it is much quieter the earlier you go and you will get to see the amazing sunset view! We noticed most people came later in the evening for dinner and the entertainment. We arrived at 4pm and left at 1am, we would advise allowing yourself time to embrace the full experience.


Atmosphere: 5/5

Cost: 5/5

Food: 5/5

Service: 5/5





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